Footboard, especially for winding machines, and winding machine provided with such footboard

ABSTRACT

The present invention refers to a footboard ( 1 ), especially for winding machines ( 2 ), and a winding machine ( 2 ) comprising said footboard ( 1 ). The footboard ( 1 ) comprises one or more support columns ( 10 ) that can be associated with the winding machine ( 2 ) in correspondence of a side panel of the latter and a suspended walkable surface ( 12 ). The walkable surface ( 12 ) exhibits one or more segments ( 12   a ) movable independently of each other to disengage the area close to the machine ( 2 ) and allow access to the blades ( 7 ) region thereof located in correspondence of the rest base ( 11 ). When it is required to have access to the upper region ( 2   b ) of the machine ( 2 ), the segments ( 12   a ) are brought back to the original position thereby defining a single bearing plane ( 12   b ) upon which the operators can transit during the working procedures.

The present invention relates to a footboard, especially for winding machines, and a winding machine provided with such footboard.

The present invention is apt for use in the paper industry and industrial machines for the treatment and production of web materials such as paper, cardboard, tissue paper, nonwoven fabric. In particular, the present invention can be utilized for the winding, cutting, coupling and stocking of the above mentioned material.

As well known, the treatment and production of web material is generally carried out by means of suitable machines such as winders and rewinders, for example, which define significant lengths of the advancement path of the material in the course of manufacture.

Usually, the above machines include a plurality of support and/or guide rollers which define a feeding path provided with access spaces and/or windows for the operators that have to control and operate directly on preset machine's areas such as the blades region, for example, in correspondence of which the cutting means are predisposed as necessary for sectioning the continuous web.

In some winding machines, the blades region is provided at such position as to allow an easy access for the operators, even if this entails a tortuous and detrimental path for the web material.

On other winding machines, in order to achieve a more linear path for the web material, it is necessary to provide a suspended footboard for access to the blades region and other operating regions located above, with the web material moving along under the same footboard. This solution has some drawbacks of practical character connected to the control and/or the maintenance of the machine's blades region. In fact, the presence of the footboard interferes in particular with the inspection and intervention actions of the operator who must, in the first place, takes up a position suitable for the operation to be carried out.

The Applicant has found that the known machines cannot be improved under many points of view, mainly in relation to the integrity of the continuous paper web and to the accessibility of some operating areas which are interested by periodic inspection and service interventions.

The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a footboard, in particular for winding machines and the like, and a winding machine provided with such footboard and able to maintain the structural integrity of the feeding material while facilitating the inspection and maintenance of one or more machine's regions.

This and further objects, whib will appear evident from the following description, are substantially obtained by means of a footboard, especially for winding machines and the like, and a winding machine provided with such footboard, according to the claims herein appended.

Further characteristics and advantages will appear more clearly from a detailed description of a preferred, but nonexclusive, embodiment of a footboard, in particular for winding machines, and of a winding machine provided with such footboard, according to the present invention.

The said description is set forth hereunder with reference to the attached figures which are provided by way of example only and, therefore, not to be considered in a limiting sense, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view of a winding machine provided with a footboard according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevation view of the winding machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the footboard shown in the preceding figures.

With reference to the figures, numeral 1 indicates on the whole a footboard, especially for winding machines, according to the present invention.

Referring now to the schematic representation of FIG. 1, the footboard 1 is associated with a winding machine 2, typically employed in the industrial sector of the manufacturing and treatment of web material.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the winding machine 2 comprises a support structure 3 for sustaining roller means 4 predisposed for feeding at least one continuous web of paper material along a path “P” of predetermined advancement. In particular, the roller means 4 include a plurality of support and/or guide rollers 4 a mainly distributed along a lower portion 2 a of the machine 2. The feed and/or guide rollers 4 a drive the continuous web 5 coming from a supply station (not shown as being well known) to a winding region in order to form a reel 6 in correspondence of an upper portion 2 b of the machine 2. The continuous web 5 is wound on the reel 6 which, upon completion of the winding, is transferred to a suitable storage or treatment region (not shown). Again with reference to FIG. 1, the machine 2 exhibits an operational region, also called “blades region” where a set of cutting elements are located (not shown as being well known) to carry out the sectioning of the feeding material. Predisposed above the operating region 7 are one or more control areas 8 which can be accessed by an operator through the said footboard 1.

The footboard is provided with at least one support element 9 that can be associated with the machine 2 in proximity of the operating region 7 and control areas 8. In particular, the footboard 1 is provided with one or more support elements 9, preferably consisting of bearing columns 10, fixedly engaged to the base 11 on which the machine 2 rests. The footboard 1 is also provided with at least one suspended walkable surface 12 operatively engaged with the bearing columns 10. In order to best exploit the available spaces, the walkable surface 12 is preferably located above an initial length “I” of path “P” of the continuous web 5 so as to make the latter advance without interfering with the work of the operators.

Again with reference to the attached figures, the walkable surface 12 exhibits at least one segment 12 a which defines a bearing plane 12 b for one or more operators who have to easily reach the overhanging control areas.

Advantageously, the segment 12 a is movable between a work position—in which the bearing plane 12 b is disposed close to the operating region 7, preferably in a substantially horizontal lying plane (FIG. 1), in order to bear the operator during one or more work procedures—and a disengagement position (indicated with dashed line in FIG. 1) in which the bearing plane 12 b is spaced from the operating region 7 to allow access to one or more sectors of the latter, as necessary to carry out periodic inspections and maintenance interventions which are normally hampered by the walkable surface 12 when the segment 12 a is in the operating position.

The solution shown in the attached figures provides for the segment 12 a to engage at least one respective column 10 by at least one hinge constraint 13, so as to allow the segment 12 a to rotate about a respective, preferably horizontal axis of rotation “X” extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal development of the feeding and/or guiding rollers 4 a of the machine 1.

On the opposite side with respect to the hinge constraint 13, the segment 12 a has its free edge 12 c facing the machine 1 when the walkable surface. 12 is in work position.

In order to minimize the overall dimensions of the footboard 1, the columns 10—or any other type of support element 9 being provided—have preferably at least one housing space (not shown) to receive the segment 12 a of walkable surface 12 when the latter is in disengagement position, as represented with dashed line in FIG. 1. In this way, when the walkable surface 12 is in the disengagemet position, it remains at least partially embedded inside the columns 10, without occupying the space interposed between the latter and the same machine.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the walkable surface 12 preferably exhibits three segments 12 a, each movable as above described between the work and the disengagement positions. Advantageously, each segment 12 a can be caused to rotate about the axis of rotation “X” independently of the other segments 12 a, so as to allow the operator to have access only to some parts of the machine 2. It is understood that, the moment it results necessary to clear the whole space taken by the walkable surface 12, all the segments 12 a are moved to the disengagement position, either at the same time or in sequence, by suitable actuation means not shown.

Advantageously, the machine 2 is provided with a plurality of bearing shoulders 2 d for engaging at least a relevant segment 12 a of the walkable surface 12 when the said segment is in work position. Preferably, to each one of segments 12 a of the walkable surface 12, two bearing shoulders. 2 d of the machine 2 are made to correspond which operate in correspondence of the end corners 12 d of the respective free edge 12 c. Moreover, each bearing shoulder 2 d exhibits a bearing surface suited for supporting two segments 12 a at the same time.

The present invention overcomes the problems of the known technique and achieves the proposed objects.

First of all, the footboard according to the present invention allows the operators to have access to both the control region disposed above the machine and the operating or blades region disposed in correspondence of the rest base of the same machine. The change from an operating condition, in which the operators can transit on the walkable surface and work on the lower part of the machine, to a disengagement condition, in which the operator can have access to the blades region without any obstacle and interference, results simple to carry out. In particular, the segments involved are driven into rotation in counter clockwise direction through an angle of about 90° thus lifting the respective free edge. Similarly, also the transition from the condition of disengagement to the operating one is performed by a rotation of the involved segments in clockwise direction through an angle equal to that previously covered. 

1. Footboard (1), especially for winding machines, comprising: at least one support element (9) that can be associated with a winding machine (2); at least one suspended walkable surface (12) operatively engaged to said support element (9), said walkable surface (12) exhibiting at least one segment (12 a) defining a respective bearing plane (12 b) for engagement by at least one operator, characterized in that said at least one segment (12 a) is operatively engaged to said support element (9) and is movable between a work position, in which the bearing plane (12 b) is disposed close to the operating region (7) of said winding machine (2) to bear said at least one operator during one or more work procedures, and a disengagement position in which the bearing plane (12 b) is spaced from the operating region (7) to allow access to one or more sectors of said machine (2) as necessary to carry out periodic inspections and maintenance interventions.
 2. Footboard according to claim 1, characterized in that the said at least one segment (12 a) engages said support element (9) by at least one hinge constraint (13), said segment (12 a) being rotationally movable between the work position and the disengagement position about a respective axis of rotation “X” defined by said hinge constraint (13).
 3. Footboard according to claim 2, characterized in that said segment (12 a) has a free edge (12 c) opposite to the hinge constraint (13) and facing at least one of said sectors of said winding machine (2) when said walkable surface (12) is in the work position.
 4. Footboard according to claim 1, characterized in that said support element (9) exhibits at least a housing space to contain said at least one segment (12 a) when the latter is located in the disengagement position.
 5. Footboard according to claim 1, characterized in that said walkable surface (12) exhibits one or more segments (12 a) each movable between said work position and said disengagement position.
 6. Footboard according to claim 5, characterized in that said segments (12 a) are movable independently of each other.
 7. Footboard according to claim 5, characterized in that the segments (12 a) are aligned longitudinally in a common direction (“Y”) substantially parallel to a side panel of said winding machine (2).
 8. Footboard. according to claim 7, characterized in that the segments (12 a) are disposed consecutively one with respect to the other so that, when all the segments (12 a) are disposed in the work position, said bearing plane (12 b) develops along said common direction (“Y”) without solution of continuity.
 9. Winding machine, in particular for the continuous advancement of paper material, comprising: roller means 4 for feeding at least one continuous web (5) of paper material along a path (“P”) of predetermined advancement; characterized in that it also comprises a footboard. (1) according to claim
 1. 10. Winding machine according to claim 9, characterized in that said walkable surface (12) exhibits two or more segments (12 s) operatively engaged to said support element (9) and predisposed to define a respective bearing plane (12 b) for engagement by at least one operator, each segment (12 a) being movable independently of the others between a work position, in which it is disposed close to the operating region (7) of said winding machine (2) to bear said at least one operator during one or more work procedures, and a disengagement position in which it results spaced from the operating region (7) to allow access to one or more sectors of said machine (2) as necessary to carry out periodic inspections and maintenance interventions.
 11. Footboard according to claim 6, characterized in that the segments (12 a) are aligned longitudinally in a common direction (“Y”) substantially parallel to a side panel of said winding machine (2).
 12. Footboard. according to claim 11, characterized in that the segments (12 a) are disposed consecutively one with respect to the other so that, when all the segments (12 a) are disposed in the work position, said bearing plane (12 b) develops along said common direction (“Y”) without solution of continuity. 